Urban Youth Unit at NIUA and YuWaah – UNICEF Join Hands for Youth Empowerment in Urban Governance

New Delhi: In a significant move towards empowering young minds for active participation in urban governance, the Urban Youth Unit at the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) and YuWaah – UNICEF have officially entered into a partnership. The Statement of Intent was exchanged between Lovlesh Sharma, Head of Urban Youth Unit, and Abhishek Gupta, COO of YuWaah, during the National Youth Day celebrations hosted by NIUA.

Over the next three years, the collaborative effort aims to co-create and implement scalable youth-driven solutions to address challenges faced by cities. The primary focus will be on enhancing youth leadership, participation, and conducting action research to strengthen civic behaviors and urban governance.

The partnership will utilize interactive and gamified civic leadership modules to ensure youth-centric development. The goal is to enhance civic awareness, social responsibility, and equip young individuals with 21st-century skills and progressive ideas. This approach will enable active youth participation in co-creating innovative solutions for urban governance through engagement in innovation challenges. UNICEF’s U-Report chatbot will also be employed to capture real-time data and insights from young people on ‘cities for youth,’ supporting NIUA’s action research outcomes and co-creating innovative solutions that address the unique needs of young people in India.

Dr. Debolina Kundu, Director, NIUA, emphasized the significance of the connection between youth, cities, and NIUA in shaping the future urban landscapes. She stated, “With YuWaah – UNICEF collaboration, we aim to harness the potential of our youth, empowering them to actively contribute to the development of cities that reflect their dreams and aspirations.”

Abhishek Gupta, COO of YuWaah – UNICEF, highlighted the joint effort to enhance youth leadership, participation, and action research, focusing on strengthening civic behavior and urban governance. He expressed the shared goal of inspiring a new generation of young leaders in India who are deeply connected to their communities, ensuring a brighter and more empowered future for all.

As part of the collaboration, the ‘My Dream City’ publication was launched, an outcome of a competition organized by NIUA. The competition aimed to capture visionary thoughts of young people on Safe Neighbourhoods, Walkable and Cyclable Cities, My Connect to the River and Waterbodies, and Smart Wellness Societies. The resulting collection presents a mosaic of ideas reflecting the dreams and aspirations of the youth for a vibrant and livable city.